The Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire: Evidence for Construct Validity.
- Authors
- Fleming, Kimberly A; Bartholow, Bruce D; Hilgard, Joseph; McCarthy, Denis M; O'Neill, Susan E; Steinley, Douglas; Sher, Kenneth J
- Year
- 2016
- Journal
- Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research
- PMID
- 27012527
- DOI
- 10.1111/acer.13015
- PMCID
- PMC4820365
BACKGROUND: Variability in sensitivity to the acute effects of alcohol is an important risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The most commonly used retrospective self-report measure of sensitivity, the Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol (SRE) form, queries a limited number of alcohol effects and relies on respondents' ability to recall experiences that might have occurred in the distant past. Here, we investigated the construct validity of an alternative measure that queries a larger number of alcohol effects, the Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire (ASQ), and compared it to the SRE in predicting momentary subjective responses to an acute dose of alcohol. METHODS: Healthy young adults (N = 423) completed the SRE and the ASQ and then were randomly assigned to consume either alcohol or a placebo beverage (between-subjects manipulation). Stimulation and sedation (Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale) and subjective intoxication were measured multiple times after drinking. RESULTS: Hierarchical linear models showed that the ASQ reliably predicted each of these outcomes following alcohol but not placebo consumption, provided unique prediction beyond that associated with differences in recent alcohol involvement, and was preferred over the SRE (in terms of model fit) in direct model comparisons of stimulation and sedation. CONCLUSIONS: The ASQ compared favorably with the better-known SRE in predicting increased stimulation and reduced sedation following an acute alcohol challenge. The ASQ appears to be a valid self-report measure of alcohol sensitivity and therefore holds promise for identifying individuals at-risk for AUD and related problems.
BAES stimulation ratings across time as a function of score terciles on ASQ-Heavy (left panel), ASQ-Light (middle panel), and SRE 3-mo. (right panel) factors for participants in the placebo group (top row) and alcohol group (bottom row). ASQ-Heavy = Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire heavy-drinking factor; ASQ-Light = ASQ light-drinking factor; SRE 3-mo. = Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol Form “most recent 3-month period in which you drank” factor. BAES = Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. Score terciles, where “Low” represents the lower third of ASQ or SRE factor scores (i.e., HS) and “High” represents the upper third of factor scores on those measures (i.e., LS), were created for graphical representation purposes only; all analyses were carried out using continuous scores.
BAES sedation ratings across time as a function of score terciles on ASQ-Heavy (left panel), ASQ-Light (middle panel), and SRE 3-mo. (right panel) factors for participants in the placebo group (top row) and alcohol group (bottom row). ASQ-Heavy = Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire heavy-drinking factor; ASQ-Light = ASQ light-drinking factor; SRE 3-mo. = Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol Form “most recent 3-month period in which you drank” factor. BAES = Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. Score terciles, where “Low” represents the lower third of ASQ or SRE factor scores (i.e., HS) and “High” represents the upper third of factor scores on those measures (i.e., LS), were created for graphical representation purposes only; all analyses were carried out using continuous scores.
Subjective intoxication ratings across time as a function of score terciles on ASQ-Heavy (left panel), ASQ-Light (middle panel), and SRE 3-mo. (right panel) factors for participants in the placebo group (top row) and alcohol group (bottom row). ASQ-Heavy = Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire heavy-drinking factor; ASQ-Light = ASQ light-drinking factor; SRE 3-mo. = Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol Form “most recent 3-month period in which you drank” factor. BAES = Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. Score terciles, where “Low” represents the lower third of ASQ or SRE factor scores (i.e., HS) and “High” represents the upper third of factor scores on those measures (i.e., LS), were created for graphical representation purposes only; all analyses were carried out using continuous scores.
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Active placebo local | drug |
| Adults aged 21-34 local | cohort |
| alcohol | phenotype |
| alcoholic group | cohort |
| Alcohol-induced effects local | phenotype |
| Alcohol quantity-frequency variable (AlcQF) local | phenotype |
| alcohol-related problems | phenotype |
| alcohol sensitivity | phenotype |
| Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire local | phenotype |
| Alcohol Use Disorder | phenotype |
| Alcohol use experiences local | phenotype |
| AlcQF local | phenotype |
| Any effect local | phenotype |
| ascending BrAC local | phenotype |
| ASQ local | phenotype |
| ASQ-Heavy local | phenotype |
| ASQ-Light local | phenotype |
| ASQ score local | phenotype |
| BAES | phenotype |
| Baseline alcohol involvement local | phenotype |
| beverage group | cohort |
| Beverage group assignment local | cohort |
| BrAC | phenotype |
| cognition | phenotype |
| current sample | cohort |
| dizziness | phenotype |
| Dizziness or slurred speech local | phenotype |
| drinks per week | phenotype |
| Emotion | phenotype |
| Enhanced brain responses to alcohol-related images local | phenotype |
| ethanol consumption | phenotype |
| feeling more flirtatious local | phenotype |
| feeling more talkative local | phenotype |
| feeling nauseous local | phenotype |
| heavy drinking | phenotype |
| higher dose effects local | phenotype |
| Initial sensitivity | phenotype |
| Initial validation sample local | cohort |
| intoxication | phenotype |
| Lighter drinking local | phenotype |
| lower dose effects local | phenotype |
| men | cohort |
| Naive drinkers local | phenotype |
| negative consequences | phenotype |
| participants | cohort |
| passing out local | phenotype |
| Passing out local | phenotype |
| placebo group | cohort |
| placebo participants | cohort |
| positive alcohol expectancies | phenotype |
| Post-consumption alcohol responses local | phenotype |
| Schweppes tonic local | drug |
| sedation effects local | phenotype |
| Sedation-like symptoms local | phenotype |
| sedatives | drug |
| Self-Rating of the Effects of alcohol | phenotype |
| Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol score local | phenotype |
| Self-Report of Effects of Alcohol (SRE) local | phenotype |
| Sensitivity to pharmacological effects of alcohol local | phenotype |
| sex | phenotype |
| Sleepy local | phenotype |
| Sluggish local | phenotype |
| slurred speech | phenotype |
| Smirnoff vodka local | drug |
| social isolation | phenotype |
| SRE | phenotype |
| SRE 3-mo local | phenotype |
| SRE 3-mo. local | phenotype |
| Standard drinks local | drug |
| stimulant | drug |
| stimulation | phenotype |
| stimulation ratings local | phenotype |
| Stumbling gait local | phenotype |
| subjective effects | phenotype |
| subjective intoxication | phenotype |
| Subjective intoxication index local | phenotype |
| time | phenotype |
| tolerance | phenotype |
| Very heavy drinkers local | phenotype |
| women | cohort |
| Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test | phenotype |
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External
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| Alcohol words elicit reactive cognitive control in low-sensitivity drinkers. | Bailey K et al. | — | 2016 | → |
| The natural expression of individual differences in self-reported level of response to alcohol during ecologically assessed drinking episodes. | Trela CJ et al. | — | 2016 | → |